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LEAGUE OF WOMEN
VOTERS OF TALLAHASSEE BYLAWS
Revised March 26, 1994;
March 29, 1998; March 27, 1999; June 13, 1999; April 28, 2001; April 28, 2002;
April 22, 2006; April 19, 2008
ARTICLE I NAME
Section 1:
The name of this organization shall be The League of Women Voters of
Tallahassee, Florida. This local league
is an integral part of the League of Women Voters of the United States and of
the League of Women Voters of Florida.
ARTICLE II NAME
Section 1: Purpose. The purposes
of the League of Women Voters of Tallahassee are to promote political
responsibility through informed and active participation in government and to
act on selected governmental issues.
Section 2: Policy. The League of Women Voters of
Tallahassee may take action on local governmental measures and policies in the
public interest in conformity with the principles of the LWVUS. It shall not
support or oppose any political party or any candidate.
ARTICLE III MEMBERSHIP
Section 1: Eligibility. Any
person who subscribes to the purpose and policy of the League shall be eligible
for membership.
Section 2: Types of Membership.
a)
Voting
Members. Citizens at least 18 years of
age who join the League shall be voting members of local Leagues, state Leagues
and of the LWVUS;
1)
Individuals who
live within an area of a local League may join that League or any other local
Leagues.
2)
Those who
reside outside the area of any local League may join a local League or be state
members-at-large.
3)
Those who have
been members of the League for 50 years or more shall be honorary life members
excused from the payment of dues.
b)
Associate
Members. All others who join the League
shall be associate members.
ARTICLE IV BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Section 1: Number, Manner of Selection and Term of
Office. The Board of Directors shall consist of the officers
of the League, six elected Directors, and not more than six appointed
Directors. Three Directors shall be
elected by the general membership at each Annual Meeting and shall serve for a
two-year term, or until their successors have been elected and qualified. The elected members shall appoint such
additional Directors, not exceeding six, as they deem necessary to carry on the
work of the League. The terms of office
of the appointed Directors shall be one year and shall expire at the conclusion
of the next Annual Meeting.
Section 2: Qualifications. Only
voting members of the LVWT are eligible to hold elected or appointed office in
the organization.
Section 3: Vacancies: Any vacancy occurring in the Board of Directors by
reason of the resignation, death, or disqualification of an officer or elected
member may be filled, until the next Annual Meeting, by a majority vote of the
remaining members of the Board of Directors.
Three consecutive absences from a Board meeting of any member without a
valid reason shall be deemed a resignation.
Section 4: Powers and Duties: The Board of
Directors shall have full charge of the property and business of the
organization, with full power and authority to manage and conduct same, subject
to instruction of the general membership.
It shall plan and direct the work necessary to carry out the program as
adopted by the national convention, the state convention and the annual
meeting. The Board shall create,
dissolve, appoint, and assign duties to as many committees as it deems
necessary to conduct the affairs of the League.
Section 5: Meetings. There shall
be at least nine regular meetings of the Board of Directors annually. The president may call special meetings of
the Board and shall call a special meeting upon the written request of five
members of the Board.
Section 6: Quorum. A majority of the members of the Board of Directors shall constitute a
quorum.
Section 7: Voting. The Board may obtain a vote of
its members at a meeting or by agreement obtained by electronic or
non-electronic means, provided all members have access through one or more of
the means by which the vote is obtained and a waiver of meeting is filed by
two-thirds majority of the Board.
ARTICLE V OFFICERS
Section I: Officers Enumeration and Election of
Officers. The officers of the League of Women Voters of
Tallahassee shall be President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. Each officer shall be elected for a term of
one year. Election of officers shall
occur at the Annual Meeting by the general membership. Those elected will take
office immediately upon election.
Section 2 : The President. The
President shall preside at all meetings of the organization and of the Board of
Directors and may, in the absence or disability of the Treasurer, sign or
endorse checks, drafts and notes. The
President shall be, ex-officio, a member of all committees except the
Nominating Committee and shall have the usual powers of supervision and
management as may pertain to the office of the President and perform such other
duties as may be designated by the Board.
Section 3: The Vice President. The
Vice President shall, in the event of absence, disability or death of the
President, possess all the powers and perform all the duties of that
office. The Vice President shall perform
such other duties as the President and Board may designate.
Section 4: The Secretary. The
Secretary shall keep minutes of all meetings of the Board, present copies of
the minutes to the Board members at their regular meetings and notify all
officers and Directors of their election.
The Secretary shall sign, with the President, all contracts and other
instruments when so authorized by the Board and shall perform such other
functions as may be incidental to the office.
Section 5: The Treasurer. The
Treasurer shall collect, receive, and be the custodian of all moneys due. The Treasurer shall deposit the funds in a
bank designated by the Board, and shall disburse the funds based upon an
approved budget or as directed by the Board of Directors. The Treasurer shall present written
statements to the Board at the regular meetings of that body and an Annual
Financial Report to the Annual Meeting of the LWVT.
ARTICLE VI FINANCIAL ADMINSTRATION:
Section 1: Fiscal Year. The fiscal
year of the League of Women Voters of Tallahassee shall commence on the first
day of May each year.
Section 2: Dues. Annual dues for members shall be payable May 1. Dues paid by new members joining between
January 2 and April 30 shall be credited to the next fiscal year. The amount of annual dues shall be determined
each year at the Annual Meeting. Any
member who fails to pay dues within three months after they become payable
shall be dropped from the membership rolls.
When two or more members reside at the same address in a common
household, they shall pay the full amount for the first member and one-half of
the determined dues for each other member.
Students enrolled either full or part-time in an accredited institution
or may join the local league as voting members and shall pay dues of one-half
the individual voting member rate.
Section 3: Budget: A budget for the ensuing year shall be submitted by the Board to the
Annual Meeting for adoption. The budget
shall include support for the work of the League as a whole.
Section 4: Budget Committee: A Budget Committee shall be appointed by the board
at least two months prior to the Annual Meeting to prepare a budget for the
ensuing year. The proposed budget shall
be published in the LWVT Voter one
month before the Annual Meeting. The
Treasurer shall be, ex-officio, a member of the Budget Committee, but shall not
be eligible to serve as chair.
Section 5: Auditing. The financial records of the League of Women Voters
of Tallahassee shall be audited every year by a committee appointed by the
President and approved by the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE VII MEETINGS
Section 1: Membership Meetings. There shall be at least four meetings of the
membership each year. Time and place
shall be determined by the Board.
Section 2: Annual Meeting: An Annual Meeting shall be held before April 30,
the end of the fiscal year, the exact date to be determined by the board. The Annual Meeting shall: (a) adopt a local
Program and Positions for the ensuing year, (b) elect officers and directors,
members of the Nominating Committee, (c) adopt an adequate budget, and (d)
transact such other business as may properly come before it.
Section 3: Quorum. Ten members shall constitute a quorum at all meetings of the League of
Women Voters of Tallahassee.
ARTICLE VIII NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS
Section 1: Nominating Committee. The
Nominating Committee shall be appointed by the Board of Directors and shall
consist of three to five members, at least two of whom shall be board
members. The Nominating Committee shall
receive nominations for officers and directors from any voting member.
Section 2: Report of Nominating Committee and
Nominations from the Floor. The
Nominating Committee report of its slate of officers and board members shall be
published in the March Voter. The report
of the Nominating Committee shall be presented to the Annual Meeting. Immediately following the presentation of this
report, nominations may be made from the floor by any voting member provided
the consent of the nominee has been secured.
Section 3: Election. The
election shall be by acclamation if there are no contested positions. If there are multiple candidates for a
position, the vote shall be conducted by a show of hands. A majority vote of those members in
attendance shall constitute an election.
ARTICLE IX ABSENTEE OR PROXY VOTING
There shall be no absentee
or proxy voting.
ARTICLE X PROGRAM
Section 1: Authorization. The
governmental principles adopted by the National Convention, and supported by
the League as a whole, constitute the authorization for the adoption of
Program.
Section 2: Program. The Program of the League of Women Voters of
Tallahassee shall consist of those local governmental issues chosen for
concerted study and action.
Section 3: Member Action. Members may act in the name of the League of Women
Voters only when authorized to do so by the proper Board of Directors.
Section 4: Proposed Program.
(a)
A call for
local program proposals shall be published in the League of Women Voters of
Tallahassee Voter at least three
months prior to the Annual Meeting.
(b)
The Board shall
consider the recommendations and shall formulate a proposed program, which
shall be submitted to the members in the League of Women Voters of Tallahassee Voter at least one month prior to the
Annual Meeting.
(c)
A majority vote
shall be required for the adoption of the program proposed by the Board.
Section 5: Program Amendments. Changes in the program, in case a need arises for
emergency adoptions, may be made provided that:
(a)
two-thirds of
the board has voted in favor of the program change;
(b)
Information
(majority and minority opinions of the Board) concerning proposed changes, has
been sent to all members at least two weeks prior to a general membership
meeting at which the changes are to be discussed and brought to a vote.
ARTICLE XI NATIONAL CONVENTION, STATE CONVENTION AND
COUNCIL
Section 1: National Convention. The
Board of Directors, meeting before the date on which the names of delegates
must be sent to the national office, shall select delegates to that Convention
in the number allotted the LWVT, under the provisions of the Bylaws of the
LWVUS.
Section 2: State Convention. The Board of Directors, meeting before the date on
which the names of delegates must be sent to the national office, shall select
delegates to that Convention in the number allotted the LWVT, under the provisions
of the Bylaws of the League of Women Voters of Florida.
Section 3: State Council. The Board of Directors, meeting before the date on
which the names of delegates must be sent to the national office, shall select
delegates to that Convention in the number allotted the LWVT, under the
provisions of the Bylaws of the League of Women Voters of Florida.
ARTICLE XII PARLIAMENTRY AUTHORITY
Section 1: Parliamentary Authority. The rules contained in Roberts Rules of Order,
Revised shall govern the organization in all cases to which they are applicable
and in which they are consistent with the Bylaws.
ARTICLE XIII BYLAWS
Section 1: Amendments. These
Bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the members present at the Annual
Meeting, provided the amendments were submitted to the membership in the LWVT Voter as least one month in advance of
the meeting.
Revised
March 26, 1994; March 29, 2998; March 27, 1999; April 28, 2001 (Art. VI, Sec.
2); editorial adjustments in the entire document, for gender consistency April
28, 20002; Revised April 22, 2006 (Articles IV, V, VI, VIII, IX, X, XI, XII,
XIII)
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